


flowers and saltwater

by softsapphiq (modernpatroclus)



Series: shenanigans at etheria school of witchcraft and wizardry [1]
Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Amortentia, F/F, Friends to Lovers, M/M, One-Sided Catra/Scorpia (She-Ra), Trans Bow (She-Ra), Trans Perfuma (She-Ra), mermista calls perfuma "princess" a lot, past Mermista/Sea Hawk - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-17
Updated: 2019-09-17
Packaged: 2020-09-05 18:14:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20277640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/modernpatroclus/pseuds/softsapphiq
Summary: “Can anyone tell me what potion this is?” Professor Castaspella asked, gesturing to a small vile of a blue-white potion with spirals of smoke rising from the top. Perfuma leaned forward in her seat, enamored with its pearlesque color. It reminded her of the pearls Mermista wore around her neck and wrist, even though jewelry was against the uniform code. Perfuma glanced sideways at Mermista, who looked bored as ever, her eyes barely open and her cheek squished against her fist, even though she’d chosen to take sixth-year Potions.Before Professor Castaspella finished speaking, Entraprta’s hand shot up in the front row. “Yes, Entrapta?”“That’s Amortentia,” she answered, without relaxing her posture. “It induces feelings of infatuation in the drinker, and it smells different to everyone—they smell what attracts them.”or: Perfuma has a crush on her best friend, and Bow is embarrassing.





	flowers and saltwater

**Author's Note:**

> potions classrooms are just high school science labs

“Can anyone tell me what potion this is?” Professor Castaspella asked, gesturing to a small vile of a blue-white potion with spirals of smoke rising from the top. Perfuma leaned forward in her seat, enamored with its pearlesque color. It reminded her of the pearls Mermista wore around her neck and wrist, even though jewelry was against the uniform code. Perfuma glanced sideways at Mermista, who looked bored as ever, her eyes barely open and her cheek squished against her fist, even though she’d chosen to take sixth-year Potions.

Before Professor Castaspella finished speaking, Entraprta’s hand shot up in the front row. “Yes, Entrapta?”

“That’s Amortentia,” she answered, without relaxing her posture. “It induces feelings of infatuation in the drinker, and it smells different to everyone—they smell what attracts them.”

“That’s exactly right, dear. Five points to Ravenclaw.” Entrapta beamed so widely that Perfuma could see it from her spot five seats to her right.

“Today, we’ll be working with Amortentia, and you can experience its curious effects for yourselves.” Mermista groaned, while a group of students behind them _ ooh _’ed. “We will not,” Castaspella said over the excited tittering, “drink the potions. After I grade them, I will be discarding them, as you should come to expect by now.”

“Aw, man!” Bow complained, his voice carrying over everyone else’s. Perfuma smiled and turned around. He met her eye and looked pointedly at Mermista, who was still slumped forward in her seat. Perfuma narrowed her eyes. _ Stop it, _ she mouthed. Bow grinned and looked away, folding his hands in front of him, pretending to pay attention to Castaspella.

Perfuma wasn’t fooled.

Bow was always trying to get Perfuma to admit that she had feelings for Mermista, much to Perfuma’s ever-increasing embarrassment. At first, he’d been subtle about it: once, he’d pulled her aside in the Hufflepuff common room after Mermista split off from them on the walk back from class, heading to Slytherin. Bow was a Ravenclaw, but he hung out in the Hufflepuff common room about as much as he did in Gryffindor with Adora and Glimmer.

“So,” Bow had said, sidling up to Perfuma and looping his arm through hers, breaking Perfuma’s gaze on Mermista’s back. “Since when does Mermista walk you back to the kitchens before she goes down to the dungeons?”

Perfuma had blushed and waved a dismissive hand. “It’s not that far out of her way. We were just having a very engaging conversation.”

Bow had laughed. “Yeah, about the habits of saltwater versus freshwater fish. Nice job pretending you care, by the way,” he’d said, elbowing Perfuma.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she’d sniffed, chin up to avoid his lower line of sight. “I happen to find fish a very interesting topic of conversation.”

He’d snorted. “Since when? I’ve seen you gush over frogs and toads plenty, but you don’t hang out by the lake, like, ever.”

“Do too,” she’d argued, though they’d both known she’d been lying. Perfuma loved frogs and waterlilies and anything nature-related, but she didn’t really like to get _ in _the water much, especially not with the giant squid and whatever else lurked at the bottom of the Great Lake. She never understood why even Mermista, who’d grown up by the ocean but hated getting dirty, ever tolerated swimming in it. Perfuma usually just kept her distance and watched from the hilltop while pretending to study.

“Whatever you say, Perfuma,” Bow had teased. “But sooner or later, you’re gonna have to make your move on her.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she’d lied, leaving him in the common room to lay on her bed and pine in peace.

That had been two months ago, and Bow was only getting bolder with his matchmaking schemes. Last week, after Headmaster Angella announced upcoming the Yule Ball, Bow had gotten in between Perfuma and Mermista, slung an arm over both of their shoulders, and told Mermista that _ Perfuma and I aren’t going together this year _ _ — _ _ in case, y’know, you wanted to ask her, or something. _ Perfuma had covered her mortification with a laugh and punched Bow in the arm, telling him he was _ so generous for letting me find a new date this year! _She’d been more satisfied than she was proud of when he’d rubbed his arm for the next ten minutes.

Perfuma was waiting for the moment Bow would outright ask Mermista out for her. She knew he meant well, but Mermista was her best friend. She couldn’t just risk six years of friendship for the chance that Mermista actually liked her back and wanted to be together. Perfuma was usually open with her feelings, but there was way more at stake here than getting rejected by a random girl for tea at Madam Puddifoot’s.

This was Mermista, who’d pushed Sea Hawk’s advances away for three years before she’d finally gone out with him for six months last year. She was careful with her heart, and Perfuma didn’t think Mermista would want to stay friends if she knew Perfuma had been pining after her for the better part of their friendship.

Maybe Perfuma was being unfair by assuming that Mermista would push her away if she found out, but Perfuma couldn’t help being afraid. Mermista was her first friend at Etheria, and she was the first person Perfuma had come out to as trans. She’d fiercely stood by Perfuma and warded off the curious questions from well-meaning students that Perfuma hadn’t been ready to answer.

She had Bow now, too, who’d dealt with a lot of the same problems when he’d come out as trans in their fourth year. She adored Bow; they understood each other better than their other friends, being some of the few openly trans students in their year. He was her brother, and she loved him as much as she loved her blood family back home.

But Mermista had been there through everything, when Perfuma felt alone and terrified that the other kids would reject her identity and refuse to call her by her correct pronouns. Mermista had been there, offhandedly offering to punch whomever Perfuma asked her to. Mermista was the first person Perfuma ever had a crush on, and she’d stubbornly held on to Perfuma’s attention ever since.

As much as Perfuma wanted to take the risk and tell Mermista how she felt, this was one battle she wasn’t willing to surrender.

“You ready, Princess?” Mermista asked, nudging Perfuma.

“What?” she said, dazed. She looked up and found Mermista standing by her chair—potions, right_ . _ She nodded. “Yes, yeah, I’m ready. What are we making again?”

Mermista laughed and flipped Perfuma’s copy of _ Advanced Potion-Making _ to the page on Amortentia. “Love potion, remember? Were you paying attention at all?” She narrowed her eyes. “Are you sick or something?”

Perfuma looked down at her book, letting her hair fall like a curtain, blocking out Mermista’s skeptical stare. “No, I was just a little distracted. That’s all.”

“Well, stay focused. I don’t want my eyebrows getting singed off again because you stir the wrong way. I’ve finally gotten them back to their natural glory,” she said, flipping her hair off her shoulder as she walked away.

“That was one time!” Perfuma called after Mermista as she went to the cabinet for ingredients. Perfuma huffed and brought her book and cauldron to an empty table in the back. She flipped her book open again to the recipe for Amortentia, trying to actually take in the recipe. By the time Mermista returned with peppermint flowers, powdered moonstone, rose thorns, and ashwinder eggs, Perfuma had only gotten through the first paragraph.

“Now, normally with Amortentia,” Castaspella said as she walked between the tables, inspecting each group, “a lock of hair or blood from the intended target is added to the mixture. But for our purposes, one person from each group will provide a strand of their own hair.”

“I’m not pulling anything out of my head,” Mermista said.

“Why? Afraid Castaspella will leave it lying around and someone will fall in love with you?” Perfuma teased.

“Ugh, you’re ridiculous. I’m just having a great hair day, and I’m not sacrificing it for some dumb lesson,” Mermista said, smoothing it down for emphasis.

Perfuma laughed and twirled a strand of Mermista’s hair around her index finger. “Now who’s being ridiculous?”

“Whatever, Princess. Start pulling the leaves off those flowers.”

An hour later, Perfuma’s forehead was sheened with sweat and her arm hurt from stirring, but the Amortentia was finished. It was the same blue-white of the vial on Castaspella’s desk, even though their fumes were a little less spiral-shaped and more like the loose waves of Perfuma’s hair.

“By now, your potions should be giving off distinct odors. Anyone want to share what they smell?”

“I smell vanilla with a hint of BO,” Catra said, snickering at Adora. Adora glared at Catra, her face as red as her tie. Perfuma covered her mouth with her hands, trying to muffle her giggles. Mermista snickered.

“Yeah, well, I smell cat hair,” Adora said, a cocky grin on her face.

“This is why everyone thinks you’re a furry!” Glimmer hissed. Adora’s face bloomed as red as her tie.

“Alright, settle down, please,” Castaspella said, trying to quell everyone’s laughter. “Finish up and set your cauldrons down on the back table so you can clean up your workspaces before class ends. That doesn’t mean,” she said, rounding on Catra, “that you don’t have to clean up if the bell rings before you’re done. It simply means you stay behind and miss the beginning of your lunch until you finish,” she reminded. Catra crossed her arms and muttered something Perfuma couldn’t hear and, she suspected, that Castaspella pretended not to.

“Well?” Mermista said. “What do you smell?”

Perfuma leaned in and gently wafted the fumes toward her, trying to ignore Mermista’s eyes on her.

It smelled like dirt and flowers, like her parents’ huge, ever-expanding garden at home, the herbs and spices mixing strangely with something else, something that didn’t quite belong with the earthy smells but blended well with them, all the same. Perfuma’s breath caught in her throat.

It smelled like…

like the ocean. Like the saltwater that clung to Mermista’s skin for months after she came back from breaks, as if she bathed in the Salineas, where she lived along the coast. Knowing Mermista, she probably spent more time in the ocean than on land when she was home.

The Amortentia smelled just like Perfuma’s dorm did in the mornings, after Mermista snuck in and spent the night with her, Mermista’s sea-salt scent lingering for hours, until Perfuma finally had to open the windows and clear it out so she could stop thinking about how soft Mermista looked in the moonlight and how right it felt to sleep beside her.

Scorpia, her roommate never seemed to notice any difference on those days, though, and it made Perfuma wonder how Mermista could have such an effect on her.

“Well, Princess?” Mermista prompted.

“It…” If Perfuma told her, would Mermista know why she smelled the ocean? Would she even question it? Lots of people love the ocean, right? It’s not that strange.

Mermista watched her curiously, waiting.

“It smells like flowers,” Perfuma answered anticlimactically.

Mermista laughed. “I mean, obviously. You’re like the plant-equivalent of a cat lady.”

“And the ocean,” she added in a rush, before her brain could stop her mouth. “It smells like the ocean, too.”

Mermista’s cheeks darkened. Crap, Perfuma thought. She knows.

But instead of calling her out, asking why Perfuma was attracted to a place she’d never even been, Mermista said, “Oh. That’s, uh, that’s what mine smells like.”

“The ocean?”

“No—I mean, yeah. Both. Together. I mean,” she said, flustered. Perfuma stared, awestruck. It was strange to see Mermista lose her composure, cool and unaffected as she always was. “It smells like the ocean and flowers. Like yours.”

“Oh,” Perfuma said.

“Yeah. So...” The word hung in the air between them. A suggestion. Mermista was letting Perfuma choose how far to read into this.

“Do you—” she started. She didn’t know what was going to come out of her mouth, though, so she was glad when someone saved her.

“Mermista! Perfuma!” Their heads whipped around to Castaspella, who stood behind them, hands on her hips. “Why aren’t you cleaned up yet? Didn’t you hear the bell?” She looked between them, hands on her hips. Behind her, the desks and chairs were cleared of everyone’s things. Perfuma glanced behind her to confirm that, yes, everyone else was already gone and the cauldrons were lined up against the back counter.

“Sorry, Professor!” Perfuma squeaked, turning to their messy workspace. She swept up the leftover bits of their ingredients into her hand and smiled sweetly at Castaspella. “We’ll be out in a minute, promise!”

Castaspella narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “Okay, well, I’m going to lunch now because I trust you both. Make sure the extra ingredients go back in the cabinet.” She gave them a curious onceover, then swept out of the room, dusty pink robe billowing behind her.

Perfuma exhaled and slumped against the table. She looked over at Mermista, who was staring at the place Castaspella had just been standing with a faint smirk. Perfuma had no idea what she was thinking, and she hated it. Had she forgotten what they were talking about before they were interrupted? Perfuma decided she wouldn’t bring it up; she needed time to process everything, decide if their twin perceptions meant what Perfuma thought they did, or if she was reading too far into it.

She reached for the cauldron, struggling to get a grip on it that would keep the Amortentia from sloshing over the sides. Around it, she said, “I’ll get this, Mermista. You go on to lunch.”

“No, I’ll help.” Perfuma couldn’t see her over the top of the cauldron, but she felt the weight in her arms lighten as Mermista lifted the bottom.

“Thanks,” Perfuma said, breathing hard when they set it down.

Mermista grinned. “Don’t mention it.”

“What?” Perfuma surreptitiously smoothed her hair, making sure it wasn’t sticking up from the steam. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“No reason,” Mermista replied, turning away.

“No, really, what is it?” Perfuma’s face felt hot; was it the room, or was it her? And why did Mermista keep smiling at her like that?

“Just…” Mermista reached out and touched Perfuma’s hair, her fingers catching on a small knot. “You look really cute with eggshell in your hair,” she said, pulling her hand out of Perfuma’s hair and holding a small piece of bright red eggshell between two fingers. Smirking.

Perfuma sputtered indignantly. “Was that there all class? Why didn’t you say anything!”

“I already told you, ‘cause it’s cute.”

Perfuma’s eyes widened. She stumbled into the table, nearly knocking over their cauldron. ‘Cute’ as in, ‘you’re my best friend, and I find your quirks endearing?’ or ‘cute’ as in, ‘I find you attractive and I like you as more than my best friend?’ Mermista wasn’t the type to dole out compliments often; Perfuma had no idea what to do with it.

Mermista was still looking at her. It made Perfuma feel anxious and brave at the same time, like she should do something but also like she should keep her mouth shut so she didn’t ruin this.

Before she could stop herself, Perfuma blurted, “I like you,” her voice steadier than she felt. “A lot—like, romantically.”

Mermista tried to say something, but Perfuma forced herself to keep talking. She needed to make sure Mermista understood. “It’s okay if you don’t like me back. I mean, obviously, it’s okay. I don’t want anything to change between us if you don’t feel the same way. You’re my best friend, and that’s way more important—”

“Perfuma,” Mermista said. Perfuma froze, waiting.

“Don’t be dumb.” Mermista grabbed her hands and cradled them between their chests. “Even if I didn’t feel the same way, we wouldn’t stop being friends.”

Perfuma looked at her hands, cradled in Mermista’s smaller, warmer ones. “‘If you didn’t’?” she repeated.

She felt Mermista’s finger under her chin, guiding her face upwards, until they were eye-level. “Yeah,” Mermista said. Her warm breath fanned Perfuma’s already-hot cheeks. It felt amazing.

“Can I kiss you?” Perfuma whispered.

Mermista bit her lip, looking, for the first time, as nervous as Perfuma felt. “Yeah.”

Perfuma cupped Mermista’s cheek with one hand but left the other to hover over Mermista’s shoulder. She leaned down and moved in slowly. Mermista met her in the middle, lifting on her toes just enough that Perfuma wasn’t stooping uncomfortably. Neither of them closed their eyes until their lips touched and Perfuma felt herself go a little cross-eyed.

It was slow, careful. Closed-mouthed and soft.

Perfuma pulled back first, her eyelids heavy, as if waking from a long sleep. Mermista blinked up at her, then looked down at Perfuma’s shoulder. Perfuma licked her lips. “That was nice,” she said.

“It was alright,” she said, nonchalant, and Perfuma smiled. Mermista always tried to cover up her emotions with sarcasm. She wouldn’t meet Perfuma’s eyes, though.

Perfuma pulled her hands out of Mermista’s grasp and stepped back, worried that she’d actually just ruined everything between them. Maybe the kiss was too much. She should’ve taken Mermista on a date first, so Mermista could make sure she really wanted to be with Perfuma before they went any further. “Did you not like it?” Perfuma asked.

“Relax, Princess,” Mermista said, laughing breathlessly. She grabbed Perfuma’s hand again and brought it to her own chest. Her heart was beating rapidly through her robe. “It was really nice.”

Perfuma smiled, her worry easing. “Not too much?”

Mermista smiled back. “Perfectly modest, Princess.”

“Can I ask you to be my girlfriend, or is that too much?” Perfuma didn’t know how much Mermista wanted. Since they’d met when they were eleven, Mermista had only dated Sea Hawk, and she’d spent half of their relationship pretending not to even like him. Perfuma didn’t want to ask for more than Mermista wanted to give.

“Yes,” Mermista said.

“Yes, you’ll be my girlfriend, or yes, it’s too much?”

“Ugh,” Mermista groaned. “Yes, I’ll be your girlfriend,” she said, blushing. “You ask too many questions.”

“Just making sure,” Perfuma said, relieved.

“Perfuma,” Mermista said, her tone serious. “When I said I liked you, I meant it. You’re the only person I’ve ever really wanted to be with.”

That took Perfuma by surprise. “What about Sea Hawk?” she asked. They hadn’t really talked about Mermista’s relationship much, back when they’d been dating. Sometimes Perfuma felt like Mermista wanted to pretend it never happened. They worked better as friends, in Perfuma’s totally unbiased opinion.

“I liked Sea Hawk, and he kept asking me out, so I said yes. But I didn’t want to date him. When I was with him, I thought about how I’d rather be with you.”

“Oh,” Perfuma murmured. It was probably the most honest Mermista had ever been about her feelings. “That… That’s really sweet.”

Mermista rubbed the back of her neck. “Yeah, well, don’t mention it,” she mumbled.

Perfuma grinned and grabbed Mermista’s hand again. She squeezed it, then let their joined hands drop down, swinging between them. “Come on, let’s get some lunch. Bow’s gonna be wondering where I am.”

Mermista smirked. “About Bow—” she started to say, before Castaspella entered the room, humming to herself.

She noticed Perfuma and Mermista standing together by the back table. “Oh! What are you two still doing here?” She surveyed their clean workspace. “Did you need to talk to me about something?”

“No, ma’am, we were just leaving. I just had to clean up a little spill first,” Perfuma lied, hoping her face didn’t give anything away. Mermista always told her she was a horrible liar, and it only made her worse.

“Yeah, she’s kinda clumsy,” Mermista supplied. Perfuma elbowed her, but maintained her innocent face for Castaspella.

“Well, you better hurry or you’ll miss lunch,” Castaspella warned. “They’re serving fruitcake today!” she said cheerfully. Mermista fake-gagged behind Castaspella’s back as she followed Perfuma to their seats to grab their things.

“Thanks, Professor!” Perfuma called behind her as she and Mermista walked out of the room, hand-in-hand.

“Not sure what I did, but you’re welcome!” Castaspella called back.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Perfuma broke into a giggling fit. She looked over at Mermista, who had a small smile on her lips.

“I can’t believe there’s magical proof that you have actual feelings,” Perfuma said, laughing even harder at her own joke.

“Shut up, Miss ‘Plants Have Feelings, Too,’” Mermista mocked in a high-pitched voice, waving her hands for emphasis and bringing Perfuma’s up, too.

Perfuma was about to quip back with something along the lines of the importance of plant rights when Mermista’s expression shifted from her usual feigned irritation to a mischievous grin. “I just remembered something.”

“Oh no,” Perfuma muttered, nervous. “I know that face. What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking,” Mermista said, “that we owe your BFF Bow a little thank you for all his help getting us together.”

Perfuma blanched. “What—how did you know about that?”

Mermista rolled her eyes and waved her free hand dismissively. “Oh, please. He wasn’t exactly subtle. ‘Hey, Mermista, I wouldn’t wait too long to ask Perfuma to the Yule Ball; someone else might ask her first, and you’ll be all sad again like last year!’ ‘Mermista, doesn’t Perfuma’s tie bring out her eyes?’ Which doesn’t even make sense, by the way, since your eyes aren’t bright yellow.”

“When did he say that?” Perfuma asked, amused.

“A lot.”

Perfuma sighed. “I love Bow—”

“Not as much as you love me, apparently,” Mermista interrupted.

“—but he can be so embarrassing sometimes.”

“You mean you don’t like your friend hitting on your other friend for you?” Mermista asked, amused. “I can’t imagine why.”

Perfuma chose to ignore her sarcasm. “What was that you mentioned about thanking him?”

Mermista’s eyes lit up when she grinned. She slowed to a stop and pulled Perfuma over to a cushioned bench under an empty archway. They’d already missed most of lunch, and Perfuma wasn’t hungry anyway. Mermista sat down and crossed her right leg over her left, patting the spot next to her. Perfuma sat cross-legged, facing Mermista, and leaned her elbows on her knees. She rested her chin on her hands, watching Mermista with wide-eyed attention.

“Have you noticed that he’s been spending a lot of time with Sea Hawk lately?” Mermista asked.

“He did sit next to him in class today instead of with Glimmer and Adora…”

“And do you have any idea why he’d choose Sea Hawk over his best friends?”

Perfuma gasped, grabbing Mermista’s other hand and squeezing them, excited. “Do you think he has a crush on him?”

Mermista stared at her, one eyebrow arched.

“Right. Well, what do you think we should do? Ooh, we could dye his hair green!” Perfuma said, answering her own question. She giggled at the thought of Bow walking around with bright green hair, clashing with his navy robes.

“No, he’ll just change it right back. You’re thinking too small. He spent months embarrassing us in front of each other trying to play matchmaker. I say we do the same to him with Sea Hawk.”

At breakfast the next morning, Perfuma’s stomach was churning from hunger and excitement. After classes finished for the day, she’d spent the afternoon in the Room of Requirement with Mermista, scheming their revenge on Bow.

It’d taken a lot of bickering before they’d finally settled on a plan that would meet both of their standards. It would be harmless enough that Bow wouldn’t be completely humiliated—just mildly embarrassed, so he’d get a taste of what he’d put them both through.

They walked into the Great Hall hand-in-hand and made their way to their usual table. Adora was the first one there, already digging into her food, no doubt so she could get to the Quidditch pitch for Saturday morning practice. Adora made it her mission as the team Captain to get there early to set up before the rest of the team got there.

“Hi, Adora!” Perfuma grinned and waved to her with her free hand. She sat across from Adora, and Mermista sat next to her. Perfuma scooched closer to her, until their sides were pressed together. She loved being able to hold hands, or touch Mermistsa without overthinking how she’d taken it after. Mermista wasn’t big on PDA when she’d dated Sea Hawk, but she’d always let Perfuma be touchy with her, letting her lay her head on her shoulder and braid her hair without complaint—usually. It was extra nice now, knowing that Mermista felt the same way.

“‘Ey, Pafuma,” Adora mumbled through a mouthful of… something. Perfuma caught herself before she could make a face, but Mermista made a low sound of disgust in her ear. Perfuma elbowed her, still smiling at Adora.

Adora didn’t seem to notice that they’d been holding hands when they came in, though Perfuma wasn’t surprised. Adora was amazing at a lot of things—Quidditch, hexes, flying loop-de-loops on her broom—but she wasn’t exactly the most observant person Perfuma had ever met.

“Hey, Mermista,” Adora said, this time with her mouth empty. “Ready for the match next Saturday?”

Mermista groaned and slumped forward in her seat. “I guess. Look, do we have to talk about Quidditch while we’re eating? Today’s, like, the one day I don’t have to think about it. Catra’s been super annoying this year since she made Captain.”

Adora snorted. “Yeah, I know. I’m not even on her team and she’s been driving me crazy. Every time we hang out, she wants to strategize about winning the House Cup. She even brought a stack of gameplays on our last date!” She flung her fork out as she spoke, and a clump of oatmeal went flying.

“Hey! Watch it, Ponytail!”

Perfuma winced, watching as Scorpia swung a leg over the bench across from her, glaring at Adora with more ire than Perfuma would’ve thought her capable of, if she hadn’t already known that Scorpia didn’t like Adora. Scorpia left a sizeable gap between herself and Adora, probably for Catra to sit between them as a buffer. Scorpia brushed the rogue oatmeal off of her shoulder; they flopped to the table with a muffled splat.”

“Sorry, Scorpia,” Adora said, looking genuinely apologetic.

Scorpia _ humph _’ed and turned forward to face Perfuma and Mermista.

Perfuma frowned and considered giving Scorpia another talk later about how Adora hadn’t known Scorpia had a crush on Catra when they’d started dating two years ago, and that Scorpia really oughta give Adora a break now. After all, Perfuma knew what it was like to watch the person she liked with someone else, and she hadn’t given Sea Hawk the stink eye for it.

Scorpia pouted at Perfuma, attuned to her talks (Scorpia called them lectures) by now. Perfuma shook her head.

Mermista nudged Perfuma. “He’s here,” she whispered. “Ooh, they both are. This is gonna be great.”

Perfuma looked up and found Bow walking into the Great Hall, with none other than Sea Hawk talking animatedly next to him, one arm slung around Bow’s shoulders.

Perfuma glanced at Mermista, who was watching them with a little too much mischievous glee, in Perfuma’s opinion. “Stop staring! They’ll notice.”

“Pft, no they won’t. Sea Hawk’s talking about himself, so they’re both too wrapped up in the conversation to notice anyone else.”

“How do you know he’s talking about himself from all the way over here?”

Mermista leveled Perfuma with an unimpressed stare. “He only gets that excited when he’s talking about all the boats he’s set on fire. Plus, his voice carries a _ lot.” _

Right on cue, Perfuma heard Sea Hawk yell “Adventure!” as clear as if he’d been sitting right next to her. He was still halfway across the Great Hall.

Perfuma laughed. “Yeah, guess you’re right.”

Mermista smirked. “When am I not?”

“Okay, now you’re pushing it.”

“Whatever.” Mermista reached for her cup of pumpkin juice. “Let’s eat. The owls won’t be here for a while.”

When Bow and Sea Hawk reached the table, Perfuma patted the empty spot to her right. Bow took it, and Sea Hawk sat across from him on Adora’s right, who was still steadily shoveling food into her mouth.

Catra strolled in just as Adora was finishing up. Her hair was a mess of frizz and knots, shorter pieces standing on end. She yawned loudly, stretching one hand over her head, and sat between Adora and Scorpia.

“Mornin’, Wildcat!” Scorpia said cheerily.

“Uh huh,” Catra grumbled. Scorpia was the only one brave enough to bother with Catra in the mornings before ten. Adora wordlessly passed her a mug with steam rising from the top. Catra took it without looking at her. Perfuma smiled; they were so different from each other, but they worked so well together. Seeing them gave her hope that she and Mermista would be able to navigate their new relationship without ruining what they already had.

The only one who was missing from their group was Entrapta, who was probably going to sleep until noon, at least. Knowing her, she’d probably stayed up all night again, experimenting on a new potion or spell.

Just as Adora was getting up to head outside, a barrage of owls streamed in through an open window, carrying newspapers, letters, and packages of various sizes in their talons. “Get ready, Princess,” Mermista said in Perfuma’s ear.

“Oh, boy, this is gonna be so funny!”

Mermista smirked. “Adora, you might wanna stick around for another minute.”

“But—” Adora started, then noticed the gleeful look on Mermista’s face. She grinned back. “I don’t know what you did, but I like it.”

Amidst the chaos, a small envelope landed on Sea Hawk’s plate. “Ooh, what’s this? Fan mail from one of my many admirers, perhaps?” he announced to the table. Everyone leaned in, curious, except for Perfuma and Mermista, who knew not to get too close to the impending explosion.

When he broke the seal, not bothering to look for a return address, a piece of folded red paper fell out. Sea Hawk immediately tried to open it, but Bow stopped him with a hand on his chest. “Wait! Sea Hawk, don’t open that!”

“Why ever not, Bow? You don’t have to be jealous of others giving me attention,” he said, giving Bow a dazzling grin Perfuma had seen him use on Mermista in the past.

“It’s a howler,” Bow said. Sea Hawk’s expression didn’t change. “You know,” Bow prompted, “a letter that screams at you when you open it?”

Sea Hawk laughed. “That sounds hilarious, Bow. Besides, it’s probably someone screaming about how much they love me. Why wouldn’t I want to hear that?”

Bow put his head in his hands, defeated.

“Besides,” Perfuma added, trying not to let out a giggle, “if you don’t open them, they explode.”

Sea Hawk put a hand to his chin, a gleam in his eyes Perfuma didn’t trust. It was the same look he got when he blew up his last boat. “Explode, huh? That sounds even better!”

Bow groaned into his hands. Mermista narrowed her eyes at Perfuma, then turned back to Sea Hawk. “It insults you if you don’t open it, though.”

That made Sea Hawk reconsider. “Well, I suppose I’d rather just hear the compliments.”

Perfuma leaned back in her seat, shoulders hunched to her ears. Sea Hawk unfolded the howler.

Perfuma’s own voice, magically magnified to three times its normal volume, echoed off the walls of the Great Hall, relaying the message she’d recorded the day before.

“Dear Sea Hawk,” Perfuma heard herself announce, drawing the attention of everyone else in the room. “On behalf of my best friend, Bow, I was wondering if you’d do him the honor of dancing with him at this year’s Yule Ball. Bow would’ve asked you himself, but he gets really nervous around people he thinks are cute, and I was afraid he’d never get up the courage. So, as one of his closest friends, I felt it would be fine for me to intervene on his behalf.”

Perfuma watched as Bow’s expression shifted from confused to mortified. He shot her a look of betrayal. She couldn’t help the guilty laugh that slipped out.

“Don’t apologize,” Mermista whispered, guessing Perfuma’s thoughts. “Remember, he started this. We’re just serving up some well-deserved justice.”

Sea Hawk gasped, and put his hand to his chest. “Bow, this is so sudden! I had no idea—but of course, I accept!”

Bow gaped at him. Sea Hawk pulled him into an embrace. Caught off-guard and still shocked speechless, Bow was

arms squished between their chests, his hands balled into loose fists.

held his arms up to his own chest, 

When Sea Hawk dashed out of the room, and the staring and whispers died down, Bow stood up, walked around to Perfuma, and tugged her elbow so she would stand. He glared at Mermista and curled a finger into his chest, signaling for her to follow.

_ “You,” _he hissed at Mermista. “This was your idea, wasn’t it?”

“Hey,” Mermista said, raising her hands defensively. “You heard the card; it was Perfuma’s voice, not mine.”

Bow scoffed. “Perfuma never would’ve thought of that if it weren’t for you putting ideas into her head!”

Mermista grinned. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”

Bow looked wounded. “What did I ever do to you?”

Mermista scoffed. “Um, how about interfering in my love life for the last year?”

“But it worked, didn’t it? I saw you guys holding hands last night at dinner.”

“That had nothing to do with you, so don’t look so proud of yourself.”

“Well, now we’re even, alright? You guys are together, and I have a date—dance,” Bow corrected, his face flushed, “with Sea Hawk at the Ball. So you don’t have to hold it against me anymore.”

Mermista smirked; Perfuma grinned.

“Stop looking at me like that!”

“I guess we’ve messed with him enough,” Mermista conceded.

“You think so?” Perfuma asked.

“He does have to spend time alone with Sea Hawk.” Perfuma laughed, and Mermista grabbed her hand. “Come on, let’s go watch him get beaten up by bludgers.”

“Can we cuddle?” Perfuma asked excitedly.

“Ugh, I guess,” Mermista grumbled.

Perfuma didn’t mind; she saw the curl of a repressed smile at the corner of her lips, and, because she could, Perfuma kissed it. She squeezed Mermista’s hand and dragged her to the Quidditch pitch.

**Author's Note:**

> i started this in august for merfuma week on tumblr but did not finish it until now because i cannot be asked to revise in a timely manner
> 
> [check out my tumblr](http://perfumermista.tumblr.com/) for more she-ra!


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